Last updated: 6 November 2026
Quick answer: Canned tuna in water, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese give the most protein per calorie, about 15 to 23 grams per 100 calories. Nuts and peanut butter have protein too, but most of their calories come from fat.
A high-protein snack means the food contains a certain amount of protein. But that food doesn't contain only protein; it also has carbs and fats, and together, every food has a specific number of calories, depending on the portion of each component. Some high-protein snacks you can eat during busy times are: plain Greek yogurt, beef jerky, peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
These snacks don't have the same protein and calories. For example, a snack with 8 grams of protein can provide 250 calories, whereas a snack with 6 grams can give you 80 calories. This 2-gram difference can come with a large calorie count. It is important to check the total energy count of the food along with the protein content.
Below, we list snacks by protein per 100 calories. So, you can get to know the actual amount of protein in the food you eat, backed by actual published research.
What Are the Best High Protein Snacks?
Snacks that contain at least 10 grams of protein with moderate calorie counts. There are 2 major sources of protein:
- Lean animal and dairy products such as Greek yogurt, canned tuna, and cottage cheese have high protein and low calories.
- Nuts and nut butter also have protein, but are high in fat and denser in calories.
High Protein Snacks Ranked by Protein Density
Which snack gives you the most protein per calorie? A snack can be high in protein but still calorie-dense. We ranked these snacks by protein per 100 calories to show how much protein you get for the calories you eat.
Grams alone tell only half the story. Here we break down the protein and calories in a common serving of each snack.
| Snack | Serving | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 kcal |
|---|
| Canned light tuna in water | 3 oz | 17 g | 73 | 23.3 g |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 170 g | 17 g | 100 | 17.0 g |
| Low-fat cottage cheese | 1/2 cup | 14 g | 90 | 15.6 g |
| Edamame, cooked | 1 cup | 17 g | 189 | 9.0 g |
| Part-skim string cheese | 1 stick | 7 g | 80 | 8.8 g |
| Beef jerky | 1 oz | 9 g | 116 | 7.8 g |
| Hard-boiled egg | 1 large | 6 g | 78 | 7.7 g |
| Roasted chickpeas | 1/2 cup | 7 g | 140 | 5.0 g |
| Almonds | 1 oz | 6 g | 164 | 3.7 g |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 7 g | 190 | 3.7 g |
Canned tuna wins by a mile. Almost no fat or carbs come along for the ride.
Nuts and nut butters sit at the bottom. Not because they're bad; they're not. Their calories just come mostly from fat. So you eat way more to match what a half-cup of cottage cheese gives you.
These numbers are based on USDA FoodData Central. Brands vary, so check your label; USDA lists canned light tuna at about 16 to 22 grams of protein per 3 ounces, depending on the entry. Serving sizes are common portions, not package sizes.
How Much Protein Does a Snack Actually Need?
A 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found muscle protein synthesis in young men plateaued around 20 grams in one sitting, with no extra benefit at 40 grams within that study's 4-hour window.
A 2015 review in the same journal proposed a "meal threshold" of 20 to 30 grams of high-quality protein to really stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Older adults may need more for the same effect.
Newer research pushed back on the hard ceiling. A 2023 study in Cell Reports Medicine found 100 grams of protein produced a bigger and longer anabolic response than 25 grams. So the "upper limit" may not work the way earlier studies assumed.
Bottom line: if you're building muscle, treat 20–30 grams in one sitting as a target, not a ceiling.
Do you want a snack that actually holds you over? Pair two or three items from the table. 1 ounce of almonds plus a hard-boiled egg gets you about 12 grams. Still short. A container of Greek yogurt alone gets you most of the way.
Best Snacks for Weight Management
Want to stay full on fewer calories? Research backs protein's satiety effect.
A 1998 clinical trial in Physiology & Behavior tested four macronutrient preloads in lean women. The protein preload lowered how much they ate at the next meal.
A 2013 randomized trial in Appetite found an afternoon Greek yogurt snack with 24 grams of protein reduced hunger, boosted fullness, and delayed the next eating occasion in healthy women, compared to lower-protein snacks.
Canned tuna, plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and egg whites give you that protein benefit without the heavy calorie load.
Two things to check on labels: flavored yogurts and pre-seasoned jerky. A flavored Greek yogurt can carry around 15 grams of sugar or more in one container. That wipes out the calorie advantage plain yogurt gives you.
If weight loss is your goal, our guide on how to lose face fat explains why overall fat loss matters most.
Best Snacks for Muscle Building
Training regularly? Hitting that 20–30 gram threshold in one snack matters more.
A cup of low-fat cottage cheese gets you roughly 28 grams in under 200 calories. Right in the range the 2015 review points to.
A standard whey protein shake mixed with water delivers about 20 to 25 grams per scoop. Digests fast. That's why it stays a post-workout favorite.
Canned salmon and sardines belong here too, not just for protein, but for the omega-3s that come with it.
One honest caveat: a 2026 evidence review from King's College London found no published studies directly examining cottage cheese's effects on muscle mass, growth, or function. The protein content is real. The muscle-building claims are extrapolated from general protein research, not tested on cottage cheese itself. Worth knowing.
Best Plant-Based Protein Options
Edamame stands out with its 17 grams per cooked cup, more than most animal snacks on this list.
Cooked lentils give you 18 grams per cup. Roasted chickpeas round out the legumes. Both add fiber alongside protein, which animal sources don't.
Tofu deserves a shout for versatility. A 3-ounce serving of firm tofu has about 8 to 9 grams of protein, depending on the brand. It takes on whatever seasoning you bake it with. Easier to eat regularly than plain edamame if variety matters.
What to Watch For in Packaged Protein Snacks
Protein bars and shakes are convenient. But "20g protein" on the front rarely tells the whole story.
A 2025 cross-sectional study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found protein bars had the highest saturated fat content among all snack bar categories, about 4 grams per 100 grams.
Another 2025 lab analysis of over 1,600 protein bars found protein digestibility inside the bars was only 47–81%, despite the "high protein" labels.
Flip the bar over. If sugar alcohol (sorbitol, maltitol) shows up in the first four ingredients, it may cause bloating. I learned that the hard way on a 6-hour flight. A short list you recognize: whey, nuts, oats, dates, beats a long list of isolates, sugar alcohols, and gums stacked to hit a round number.
How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
Most adults need 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight daily. That's about 55 grams for a 150-pound person.
Active? Aim higher. The 2015 review recommends at least 20–30 grams per meal for metabolic benefits. Three meals plus snacks lands well above baseline.
Snacks fill the gaps. Two 20-gram snacks plus three meals get you there without thinking about it.
If you have kidney disease or another health condition, check with your doctor before you raise your protein intake.
High Protein Snacks Under 100 Calories
- Canned light tuna (3 oz): 73 calories, about 17 g protein
- Low-fat cottage cheese (1/2 cup): 90 calories, 14 g protein
- Hard-boiled egg (1 large): 78 calories, 6 g protein
- Part-skim string cheese (1 stick): 80 calories, 7 g protein
Four options. All under 100 calories. All with real protein.
No-Fridge Snacks for Desk, Travel, and Gym Bag
- Tuna pouches: no can opener, no fridge
- Beef jerky: 9 g per ounce
- Roasted chickpeas: shelf-stable, 7 g per half-cup
- Protein powder single-serve packets: mix with water
High Protein Snacks for Kids
Kids need protein too. Just smaller portions.
- Greek yogurt tubes: protein varies by brand, so check the label
- String cheese: 7 g per stick
- Hard-boiled eggs: 6 g each
- Edamame: 8 g per half-cup
Pair with fruit or whole-grain crackers for a balanced snack. Kids often love cotton candy grapes on the side.
Cost Per Gram of Protein
Approximate US prices; they vary by store and brand.
| Snack | Cost | Protein | Cost per gram |
|---|
| Eggs | ~$0.30 each | 6 g | $0.05 |
| Canned tuna | ~$1.20 | 17 g | $0.07 |
| Cottage cheese | ~$1.00 | 14 g | $0.07 |
| Greek yogurt | ~$1.50 | 17 g | $0.09 |
| Protein bars | ~$2.50 | 20 g | $0.13 |
| Beef jerky | ~$2.00 | 9 g | $0.22 |
Eggs and tuna win on cost. Jerky and bars cost the most.
Sources
This article is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best high-protein snacks?
Tuna. Greek yogurt. Cottage cheese. Edamame. Those four beat almost everything else on protein per calorie, and it's not close. A 3-oz can of light tuna gives you about 17 grams for 73 calories. Good luck finding a protein bar that does that.
How many grams of protein should a snack have?
Aim for 20 to 30. That's where most research lands for muscle protein synthesis in one sitting. But here's the thing: if you're just trying to not be hungry at 4 p.m., even 12 grams does something. Don't overthink it. Some is better than none.
What is the highest protein snack?
Per calorie? Canned tuna. Hands down. About 17 grams in about 73 calories. Nothing else on this list comes close. Per serving, lentils and cottage cheese both hit 14 to 18 grams; bigger portions, still solid.
Are protein bars a healthy snack?
Depends on the bar. Read the label. A lot of them are candy bars wearing a fitness costume. One 2025 study found protein bars had the highest saturated fat of any snack bar category. Another lab study looked at more than 1,600 bars and found digestibility inside the bars was only 47–81%, so that "20g protein" on the front? Your body may not get all of it. Short ingredient list you recognize = good sign. Long list of isolates, sugar alcohols, and gums = walk away.
What are good snacks for weight loss?
The high-protein, low-calorie stuff. Tuna, plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs. Why? Protein keeps you full. A 1998 trial found a protein preload lowered how much women ate at the next meal. And a 2013 study showed a 24-gram Greek yogurt snack delayed the next eating occasion. Watch the flavored yogurts. Some carry around 15 grams of sugar or more per container. That kills the whole point.
What are good vegan protein snacks?
Edamame. Lentils. Roasted chickpeas. Baked tofu. Edamame gives you 17 grams per cooked cup. Lentils give 18. Both come with fiber, which animal snacks don't. Tofu is the flexible one: about 8 to 9 grams per 3-ounce serving, and it soaks up whatever you marinate it in.
